Reuters — A U.S. judge rejected Bayer’s US$2 billion class action proposal to resolve future lawsuits alleging its Roundup herbicide causes cancer, saying in a Wednesday order that parts of the plan were “clearly unreasonable.” U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco said the proposal “would accomplish a lot for Monsanto,” which Bayer […] Read more

U.S. judge rejects Roundup settlement plan as ‘unreasonable’
Proposal would cover suits over future illnesses

BHP reported in talks with Nutrien on potash partnership
Reuters — BHP Group is in discussions with fertilizer maker Nutrien about a partnership in the miner’s massive potash project in Saskatchewan, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing sources. Potential options include Nutrien acquiring a stake in BHP’s mine at Jansen, Sask., or becoming the mine’s operator and selling the potash through its channels, the report said, […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn up off one-month low
Wheat and soy drift lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures recovered slightly on Wednesday from a steep selloff a day earlier as bargain buying and technical buying lifted prices from one-month lows, although gains were limited by favourable crop weather across the U.S. Midwest. Soybeans were mostly lower, extending prior-session losses on good crop weather, while wheat fell […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: India likely in need of more lentils
MarketsFarm — A recent webinar co-hosted by the India Pulses and Grains Association and Pulse Australia focused on lentil production in the two countries, with tighter Indian supplies likely leading to increased import demand going forward. “The share of Australian lentils in India’s import has been 10 to 15 per cent over the last seven-eight […] Read more

U.S. requests CUSMA dispute panel on Canadian dairy quotas
TRQs improperly allocated, USTR alleges
Washington | Reuters — The Biden administration on Tuesday escalated a simmering trade dispute with Canada over dairy import quotas, requesting that the first dispute settlement panel under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement be formed to review the matter. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office said its complaint alleges that Canada was improperly allocating CUSMA tariff-rate import quotas […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn sinks to one-month low on weather, technical selling
Soybeans, wheat follow corn lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures tumbled to a one-month low on Tuesday as timely spring planting and beneficial rains across most of the Midwest boosted crop prospects. Losses accelerated as corn prices fell below recent lows and breached other technical chart support levels. Soybeans and wheat also dropped on stronger harvest prospects as […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs up as pork prices rise, corn tumbles
Corn's decline also feeder cattle's gain
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures rebounded from the prior day’s losses on Tuesday on stronger cash pork prices and a weaker dollar, and as corn feed values fell sharply. Feeder cattle contracts also posted strong gains as benchmark corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade plunged more than five […] Read more

Ceres plans southern Saskatchewan canola crush plant
U.S. firm to build plant at border grain terminal
U.S. ag commodities firm Ceres Global Ag, which in recent years has built up a Prairie grain and oilseed origination hub near the North Dakota border in southeastern Saskatchewan, now plans to crush canola there also. The Minneapolis company said Tuesday it plans to spend US$350 million to build an integrated crush plant with capacity […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market heating up
Wholesale beef prices climbing
Compared to last week, quality yearling packages were $2-$5 higher while calf values were unchanged to $2 higher. A surge in buying interest surfaced for yearlings last week as fed cattle prices continue to trade near 52-week highs. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $162-$165 delivered and breakeven pen closeouts are […] Read more

Mexican judge rejects industry bid to halt GMO corn, glyphosate ban
Farm council warns of lost productivity
Mexico City | Reuters — A Mexican federal judge ruled against a request by the National Farm Council to freeze a government plan to ban genetically modified (GMO) corn and the widely used herbicide glyphosate by 2024, the national science council said on Monday. Judge Martin Adolfo Santos Perez’s ruling allows the executive order issued […] Read more